Sparks Electrical News March 2019

INDUSTRY 4.0

15

LAUNCH OF COST-EFFECTIVE SMART-BUILDING RETROFIT SYSTEM

SMART INTEGRATION ATTAINS SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC ACCREDITATION

S mart Integration, a wholly owned Ulwembu Business Services or- ganisation, has been named as one of only two local Schneider Electric EcoXpert partners to achieve a hotel automation speciali- sation. Schneider Electric is a leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation. This accreditation allows Smart Integration to provide South African hotels with innovative hotel technology from Schneider Electric, including connected devices, systems, software, apps, services and analytics, providing for the management of guest rooms and common areas, electrical power and energy management, integrated building management, and a host of building and sustainability services. Smart Integration has also obtained an EcoXpert Light & Room Control certification, which verifies the company’s expertise in deploying advanced home automation, lighting control and small building management systems, to improve comfort, and increase energy savings and efficiencies. Its Building Management System (BMS) certification is currently underway, and this will allow Smart Integration to deliver optimised facility and energy efficiency, comfort and safety through heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) applications. “At this stage, there are few local companies that have dual certifications, and currently only two in South Africa with the Hotel specialisation. The specialisation in particular is not a purely technical certification; it

highlights Smart Integration’s innate understanding of customer needs and the resultant value proposition,” says Chris Neethling, channel manager (EcoXpert Programme) within Schneider Electric South Africa’s Building Business. Smart Integration has a proven track record with Schneider Electric spanning many years,” Neethling continues. “In addition, its acquisition by black-owned management consulting and ICT services company, Ulwembu Business Services, came at a most opportune time, when the smart buildings movement was beginning to gain serious momentum locally, providing Smart Integration not only with Level One broad- based black economic empowerment (B-BBEE) certification but also a deeper skills set, both of which greatly extend its scope.” “Smart Integration’s certification as an EcoXpert is a real accolade, as it shows that we are far beyond being just an installer, but are rather a preferred Schneider Electric partner and one of the organisation’s favoured routes to market,” explains Glenn Noome, director at Smart Integration. “There is no doubt that intelligent buildings are the future, bringing energy efficient, connected, high performing solutions to the fore, and we look forward to working with Schneider Electric South Africa.”

Enquiries: +27 (0)10 035 0029

R etrofitting older building stock with ‘smart’ automation solutions is possible with the latest Hager system introduced locally by leading supplier ElectroMechanica (EM). Known as coviva, the system does not require extensive construction work, or even additional cable routing, to be installed – it is an entirely retrofittable wireless solution, ac- cording to Ryan Whitelaw, EM Product Man- ager for Building Automation. “While this particular Hager product is not new internationally, we have just launched it in South Africa, which is slowly aligning itself with the trend towards increased building automation in advanced markets like Europe and the US,” Whitelaw comments. The coviva system is ideal for retrofitting, modernising, or upgrading, and also dovetails with the higher-end Hager domovea KNX system. “The latest launch means EM can now comfortably supply either spectrum of the market demand, and can therefore cater for a broader range of clients, from home owners to commercial, retail, hospitality, and industrial clients.” The secret to the cost-effectiveness of the coviva system lies in its micromodules, which are easy to install, monitor, and control. Once installed behind existing switches or connection boxes, the micromodules communicate wirelessly to automate multiple functions. Once connected, the micromodules can instantly control dimming systems, on/ off switches, raising/lowering of blinds, and more. Each micromodule has a colour-coded function indicator for quick programming. The micromodules have been designed to deliver exceptional wireless reach. This means they can penetrate two concrete slabs, and still transmit up to 30 m indoors, while outdoors their reach can extend up to 100 m in an open area. The coviva system can be combined with additional Hager products such as the domovea system, while the KNX wireless standard allows for built-in flexibility. By combining micromodules with the coviva smartbox and app, an ordinary building can be transformed effortlessly into a truly ‘smart’ building. With coviva, individual functions can be controlled, and combined, which means that entire scenarios can be created and retrieved on demand, such as ‘morning’ or ‘evening’. Called ‘covigrams’, these scenarios are easily created in the app by means of an intuitive menu with understandable ‘if-then’ functions.

THE ELECTRONICS OF THE FUTURE ARE SMART, SAFE AND SECURE

M ore than 3 100 exhibitors from over 50 countries provided insight into the electronics of the future with their solutions and products at the Munich trade fair site towards the end of 2018. The focal topics of the 2018 electronica included blockchain, artificial intelligence and medical electronics. Falk Senger, Managing Director of Messe München, was very pleased with the results of the fair, saying: “electronica is the most important meeting place for the electronics industry and this year recorded eight percent more exhibitors, ten percent growth in the number of visitors and a more than 20 percent increase in area”. In terms of the number of exhibitors, the leading countries were Germany followed by China, Taiwan, the U.S. and Great Britain. In view of the growing influence of artificial intelligence in everyday life, Kurt Sievers, President NXP & CEO NXP Semiconductors Germany, emphasised electronica’s slogan; ’Connecting everything – smart, safe & secure.’ “He continued saying, “First, artificial intelligence needs a functioning communications infrastructure. Second, consumers will only embrace artificial intelligence if they can approach it with a sense of and small sub-systems installed in the manu- facturing environment as part of IoT systems. While there is no relevant international stand- ard, the 1551V enclosures are designed around the PCB sizes selected by leading sensor manufacturers for their latest generations of products. The ABS UL94-HB 1551V is avail- able in black, grey and white as standard; four plan sizes, 80 x 80, 80 x 40, 60 x 60 and 40 x 40 mm are all 20 mm high, maximum PCB sizes are 74 x 74, 74 x 34, 54 x 54 and 34 x 34 mm respectively. Four PCB mounts are moulded into the base and the 20 mm height gives enough space for board-mounted RJ45, USB and other standard communication inter- faces. To simplify access, the snap-fit closure allows repeated opening and closing without tools. There are ventilation slots on all four vertical faces and mounting slots and a 15 mm cable knock out in the base. T he new 1551V miniature ventilated sen- sor enclosures from Hammond Manu- facturing are designed to house sensors

issue that must not be ignored. With ‘electronica Experience’, electronica has created a format to inspire pupils and students in the subject of electronics.” The next electronica will take place in Munich from November 10-13, 2020.

security and trust”. The trade fair was also a success from the perspective of the German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association. Christoph Stoppok, Head of Components, Mobility & Systems, however, issued a warning: “The positive trend in the electronics market continues. Nevertheless, the shortage of skilled labour is an

Enquiries: www.electronica.de

1551V SENSOR ENCLOSURES FOR THE IOT

components that produce relatively large amounts of waste heat, the 1551V provides excellent airflow for cooling purposes.

Environmental sensors monitoring basics such as temperature, humidity and pressure are widely installed, and are now increasingly intelligent sub- systems,with data processing and communications capability embedded on a small PCB. For active

Enquiries: +27 (0)11 249 5000

Enquiries: www.hammondmfg.com

SPARKS ELECTRICAL NEWS

MARCH 2019